Baggage-identification check.



E. A. PYLE.

BAGGAGE IDENTIFICATION CHECK. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I916.

, l w fififio Patented July 24,1917.

WITNESSES: 5 m 4 11V EN TOR.

gm'fgw wi ffi J 2 AM/m ///-5 A TTORNE YS.

UNITE %TAE@ PAN FF@.

EDWIN A. PYLE, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MOISE-KLINKNER (10., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION- OF CALIFORNIA.

Application filed March 22, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. PYLE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Alameda, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Baggage-Identification Check, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to baggage checks.

An object of my invention is to provide a baggage check which will eliminate the chance of error in identifying the baggage for which the check calls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a baggage check comprising a tag and a key, a given key being adapted to be matched to only one tag.

Another object of the invention is to provide a baggage check comprising a tag and a key adapted to be matched to said tag; both tag and key bearing identification characters.

The invention possesses other features of advantage some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete baggage check of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the tag portion only.

Fig. 3 is a view of the key adapted to fit the aperture in the tag.

Fig. 4 is a view of the reverse side of the key shown in Fig. 3.

In identifying a piece of baggage by means of an ordinary stub or duplicate, the faculties of attention, of memory and of comparison must be exercised in considerable degree. Attention must be focused successively upon both the checks to be compared and the memory of the form of the various characters thereon must be accurate and also the memory of the arrangement of those characters, and finally, there must be a comparison of the two sets of memories. Any defect or confusion in any of these processes will inevitably result in error in the identification. The attention, the memo- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24%, 191W. Serial No. 85,799. I

rizing, and the comparing many occupy but a few seconds, but none the less must they be accurate and accuracy even in the momentary process is easily impaired by an envlronment of noise and confusion and hurrymg.

It is therefore one of the objects of my invention to provide a baggage check in which the first and principal means of identification depends on the exercise of faculties which are not inhibited nor lessened under ordinary conditions of mental stress, and which are so elementary in character that little more than mental competency is necessary to fully exercise them.

The baggage check of my invention comprises a tag portion 2 to which is attached through the slot 3 the usual strap 4 wherewith the tag may be secured to the piece of baggage. Preferably within the edges of the tag 2 is an aperture 2, which may be of any desired shape symmetrical or otherwise. A key 5 is provided for the tag 2 of such form that it fits loosely into the aperture 2"-, the contour of the key being the same as, but slightly smaller than, the contour of the aperture. The key 5 is provided with an aperture 6 through which the strap l is threaded so that the key and tag may be retained together when the check is not in use. Preferably both key and tag bear upon their surfaces an identification number, 7 the name or letters 8 indicating the name of the railroad; and 9 the division thereof over which the check is to be used.

The identification number is also stamped preferably in larger figures across the joint between the key and tag as shown at 12, Fig. l, the parts being in registration when the key is in place. When the key is inserted in the aperture 2 it is obvious that a recognition that the portions of the divided identification number 12 register or that they do not register is all that is required to absolutely prevent any mistakes if the element of intentional fraud is eliminated, and since this element is lacking in the large majority of transactions, it follows that the recognition of matched or unmatched parts of numbers will prevent errors due to carelessness or confusion of mind. However, since fraudulent claims for baggage do occur and must be guarded against, a second phase in the identification process is made necessary. A check upon the apparent accuracy of the matched or registered numbers is furnished by stamping in a line crossing preferably perpendicularly the joint between key and tag a serial number 14 preferably in letters or Roman figures. This number may conveniently consist of three characters and it bears a certain relation to, the Arabic identification number which relation is known only to the railroad oiiicial whose duty it is to identify the baggage when the key is presented by the claimant. For instance, in the baggage check shown in Fig. 1, the serial number XXI is used only with identification numbers up to 1000. From 1000 to 2000 another serial number may be used. If desired, a serial number for each division of 100baggage checks may be used and in order to simplify the memorizing of these serial numbers, a simple relation may exist between identification numbers and serial numbeifs, so tliat'the baggage man'may supplemerit his arbitrary memory of the serial number by application of the rule govern mg the relation. If desired, the shape of the key may vary. with each lot of 1000 checks, thus bearing a certain relation to the identifieation and the serial numbers; or

each division of the railroad may have a characteristic formof key or the railroad as a whole may have a distinctively shaped key and 'the shape may suggest some design already popularized and connected in the public mind with the railroad. Preferably the reverse side of the key is provided with characters indicating the railroad to which the key belongs, the identification number and the serial number.

1. An identification check comprising a tag having an aperture therein and a key constructed to match said aperture, an obvious identification means partly on both 1 said tag and key, and anon-obvious verification of said identification means partly on both said tag and key.'

2. An identification check comprising a tag having an aperture therein, a strap secured to the tag, and a matched key for said tag constructed to, fit in said aperture and having a slot through which said strap may be passed. i 1

8. In an identification check, a tag, a key matched to fit said tag, an identification number on said tag and keylying across adjacent edges thereof, anda serial number part on said tag and part on said key.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 17th day of March, 1916.

EDWIN. P LE.

In presence of' i H. G. Pnos'r,

GS. EVANS.

Copies ofithis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Ifatents.

Washington, I). G. 

